Fewer salmon in the Gaspé rivers

Again this year, the great salmon are little present in the rivers of the Gaspé. Meanwhile, “Encouraging” mountains of small salmon, however, suggest a return of fish in greater numbers next year.

The year 2024 had been catastrophic for salmon mountains in Quebec. In addition, with an observed decrease from 20 % to 80 % of salmon populations according to rivers. Furthermore, According to the mid-season balance sheets that have been made in the last days, this drop continues this year.

The Gaspé salmon organization noted a 60 % drop in the number of great salmon in the Saint-Jean. In addition, York and Dartmouth rivers compared to last year.

This is the same observation on the Matane river. Consequently, where only 1204 salmon, including 175 great salmon, were observed from the start of the season until August 3. Moreover, fewer salmon gaspé rivers The average at such a date is 1775.

The ZEC de la Rivière Bonaventure has observed 303 great salmon so far. In addition, while last year, 773 had spawned in the river on such a date.

Last year, for the second consecutive year, there were very few madeleineaux, salmon who spent a year at sea. We knew that this year. the mounting of great salmon would be low, since there is a correlation between the Montaison of Madeleineaux and the presence of great salmon the following yearexplains Myriam Bergeron, biologist and director general of the Quebec Federation for Atlantic Salmon (FQSA).

A Montaison of small encouraging salmon – Fewer salmon gaspé rivers

However. many zecs observed an increase in the number of Madeleineaux this year.

The quantity of small salmon exceeds our averages on such a date. It is very positive. it allows us to believe that the cohort of salmons which left the rivers in 2024 would have survivedunderlines Sébastien Lavoie, general manager of the fewer salmon gaspé rivers management company of the Matane river.

On the Bonaventure river. a total of 411 Madeleineaux was observed this year, compared to 128 to such a date last year.

Myriam Bergeron notes that the Montaisons of little salmon are encouraging. but that it is still necessary to show cautious optimism.

We know that this year there are not many breeders [tout comme] last year. So, potentially, in a few years, we risk living a hollowshe nuances.

In order to allow the restoration of the species, the delivery to water is compulsory for all caught salmon.

Less fishermen

The decrease in the number of great salmon also has an impact on the number of fishermen. who is still down this year.

On the Saint-Jean river, Salmon Gaspé notes a drop of approximately 40 % of traffic. On the Bonaventure river, the drop in attendance is 25 % compared to the average from 2021 to 2024.

Daily prints, fly sales, fishing permits, it has a financial impactunderlines Jean Roy, president of Salmon Gaspé.

A new invasive species

The presence of a pink salmon found fewer salmon gaspé rivers in North Shore also worries Ms. Bergeron, because this invasive species from Russia cohabits badly with the Atlantic salmon.

Since 2019, only six pink salmon have been found in Quebec.

It seems unimportant. but there is no way to really know the real number of individuals of pink salmon who are really in nature. There is still a significant progression at the geographical level. The first observations were in Ungava Bay, and there, we are returned to Natashquanshe explains.